1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to improvements in detectors of flammable gas mixtures, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to method and apparatus for monitoring and controlling the composition of potentially explosive flammable gas mixtures.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art contains a number of teachings of gas sensors which rely on a catalytic reaction, gas absorption or spectrum analysis to identify the presence of a flammable or explosive gas mixture. Such prior art devices generally require advance knowledge of the composition of the gas under test and advance calibration in order for the devices to sense the presence of a particular gas or gas mixture. When so calibrated, these devices can only be relied on to indicate the presence of the gas or gas mixture for which the calibration was made. Those devices which employ platinum wire catalysts have been found to be unsatisfactory when employed with gas mixtures which include hydrocarbons or carbon dioxide which destroy the effectiveness of the catalysts.